AFS Trinity Power of Medina says it will seek $2.5 billion from a $25 billion "green retooling" fund that was just established by Congress. The company plans to use the money to retool an existing factory run by a major American car maker and help train its employees to produce plug-in hybrids.
According to AFS, the extreme hybrid technology can allow vehicles to get up to 150 miles per gallon. The company says its XH 150 SUV can drive 40 miles "without burning a drop of gasoline" and can reach a top speed of 87 miles per hour.
"Based on a total of 320 miles per week, fuel economy will average over 160 miles per gallon, which we round down to 150 mpg. No additional new technology is needed to achieve these results," said CEO Edward Furia.
The technology would also allow hybrid batteries to last as long as 150,000 miles, compared to about 25,000 today.
"By infusing AFS Trinity technology into existing, but recently under-employed American SUV plants, new plug in hybrid SUV models can be built that will leapfrog world competition," added Furia.
